Make It Work
by Coneflower Adams
Summary: Bae meets his new mommy Belle and Rumpelstiltskin is the most awkward about the new family life.
1. Part 1: Rum's Awkward Feels

**Make It Work**

_Prompt from purplecatprincess on tumblr: Bae meets his new mommy Belle and Rumpelstiltskin is the most awkward about the new family life._

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They're two peas in a pod, and Rumpelstiltskin can't figure out how he became exceedingly blessed after centuries of being a dealing monster.

Belle and Bae took to each other instantly. They found Rum's lost son, still the boy he'd let go through a mystery portal, wandering into Storybrooke confused and scared. Belle pulled the poor bewildered boy to her, embracing him with such motherly love to the point that Rum had to pry her away. The two have been inseparable ever since.

And that's what Rum can't get over.

All Baelfire's life he'd grown up without a mother. It was hard raising a child on his own being a lowly spinner peasant, but Rumpelstiltskin did his best with the poor circumstances that were dealt him. Even if they didn't have anything, at least they had each other and they made it work.

Then came the woman who stole his virulent heart. Somehow they built a stable relationship on rocky ground and she became his wife and they just made it work.

Bae has finally returned into his life and he has Belle and Rum truly has no clue how to make it work anymore.

He watches them chatting merrily at the kitchen table sharing a box of cereal. He can tell in Bae's shining eyes that he already sees Belle has a mother. Rum had dreamed of such a thing, but now that it's right in front of him, he's not sure how to handle it. Where does an old monster fit in to such a perfect picture?

So, he leans on the counter sipping a morning cup of coffee and just observes. He doesn't dare invite himself to join them, can't bear to think that he'd be a third wheel to their little circle.

"Rum?" Belle's voice calls cheerfully.

"Yes, love?"

"Come join us, Papa" Bae offers, and he can't resist them no matter how silly it feels to be uncomfortable about sitting at the breakfast table with your wife and son.

Belle and Bae go back to their merry chatter as he watches them from across the table. But Belle is sharing secret smiles with him when their son is taking a bite of cereal, and Bae is coaxing his father to agree with him whenever he's trying to make a point to his new mother. Maybe, just maybe, Rum can make this work after all.


	2. Part 2: Belle's Reaction

_Writer's note: This is a continuation of the prompt from purplecatprincess. I found that I wanted to flesh out Belle and Bae's reaction to each other when they meet and instantly bond. It seems ficlets don't ever stay ficlets for me._

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Belle gasps in shock as she receives the call. A boy, wandering lost and afraid, was found on the outskirts of Storybrooke. He was dressed in clothing fit for the old world whence they had come. He had asked for one person – Rumpelstiltskin. And that's why Deputy Nolan had called the pawnshop.

Belle races from the pawnshop, keys to the Cadillac jingling wildly in her hand. Rum is out on business errands and she's in such a hurry to get to the step-son she's never laid eyes on before, she only remembers to call her husband by the time she parks in front of the sheriff's station.

She's not sure how to put into words that Bae has been found, but Rum somehow understands her jumbled mess of speech and says he'll be there right away.

Belle rushes into the Sheriff's office, finding Deputy Nolan as soon as she steps foot through the entrance. "Where is he?"

"This way." Deputy Nolan leads her to the back. "I can't believe Gold has a son. Did you, I mean- I guess you should know since you're married to the man."

"I've known since we were in the old world" Belle replies, distractedly. She barely hears the man, her mind focused on getting to Bae.

Belle stops dead in her tracks, breath catching in her throat, when she finally lays eyes on the brown-headed boy sitting quietly on the Sheriff's couch. He seems so small and timid pressed into the back of the cushion, hands clasped together in his lap, gazing at the floor.

She's not sure if she should approach him or wait for Rum to arrive. He's waited for years - no, centuries - she corrects herself, for this boy. But he looks lost and alone and in need of a hug, so she approaches slowly.

"Bae?" she automatically calls his nickname, because it is the name Rum always uses when talking of him. It is the name she calls the boy in her head.

The boy snaps his dark head up, haunting brown eyes meeting porcelain blue. "Yes, ma'am?"

Belle can feel her heart break into a billion pieces. She wants to fling her arms around him and hold him until nothing hurt. "I'm Belle" she offers, stopping close to the couch. "May I sit?"

Bae stares at her for a long moment then nods, lowering his gaze to the floor once more. "The man said my Papa was on his way."

"That's why I'm here." She's not sure how to explain to this boy what is going on. He seems to have walked right out of an enchanted forest as if he'd just left it. "Your Papa is on his way."

"You know him?" Hope fills his voice, and he looks at her again.

Belle bows her head once, hands mimicking Bae's in her own lap. "I do. Very well actually. This may be hard to comprehend, Bae, but I'm married to your father."

She's never seen such perplexity on someone's face before.

"Papa's married? But how? I only left him a few hours ago."

Belle forgot herself, taking Bae's hand in hers. "I'll try to explain this as best I can. When you went through the whirlwind, it must have sent you to this time to this world. It has been many years since your father has seen you. He has searched for you everywhere. He found a way to this new world where we are now and knew that one day you would come here. It was just a matter of time."

"He's searched for me for years though I only left him hours ago?" The confusion still echoed in his voice, but it seemed Bae was taking this with better understanding than Belle had hoped.

"Now you're finally here, safe and whole. No more searching." Belle brushes her fingers through his disheveled hair, thankful to finally be able to touch the boy she had never seen but loved as if he were her own.

"And you're my step-mother?" Bae asks, hesitant and wary, though he does not shrink away from her touch.

Belle smiles lovingly. "Yes. Your father and I met in the old world and you could say I brought out the human in him again. He was very far from who he was when you were still with him. There have been many bumps on our journey together, but we made it through all of them. Your father has missed you dearly. He has told me so much about you. I couldn't wait to meet you, Bae."

She can't hold back the tears anymore as she surprises Bae with a fierce hug. He stiffens at first, but relaxes as she rubs his back soothingly with the mother's touch that he never knew before.

Belle wishes to say how much she loves him and how thankful she is to finally hold him. Tell him of the small clothing she found once upon a time stored away in the Dark Castle, how she imagined so long ago the boy who wore the clothes belonged to. Yes, he was Rumpelstiltskin's son, but oh how he seemed to belong to her just as much.


	3. Part 3: Bae's Reaction

_Writer's note: This fic has taken on a life of it's own. Seriously. This may be the last part, but not sure yet. Rum might take another turn._

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**Part 3: Bae's Reaction**

Papa let him go, sending him through the swirling whirlwind alone. Baelfire slams to the ground on his right side, the air knocking from his lungs. He gasps and groans as he tries to move. Every bone in his body aches and he can feel his right hip bruised.

He's landed in a forest much like the one he came from. It is day, not night, and he can see a clearing not far away. He sits for several minutes to regain his bearings. He also waits, hoping that maybe his Papa will appear.

He'd called his Papa a coward as he clung desperately to his father's hand. Papa would not release his greedy hold on the dagger, that awful cursed dagger that had turned the loving man into something unrecognizable.

Bae wipes away the tears with the heels of his hands. He wanted to be wrong. Maybe Papa had come through the whirlwind after him. The thought fuels his hope. He gets to his feet determined to find something, anything that could help him.

It's not long after he emerges from the forest line that strange things happen. A giant metal wagon crosses his path and Bae jumps out the way. The person inside, a short, bearded man wearing glasses, asks if he's all right and lost and immediately talks into a tiny rectangular box. Bae watches, and is fascinated by everything. This land without magic seems to be more magical than the one he left.

Only a few minutes later another metal wagon comes and a taller man wearing a leather coat ushers him into it. The man seems kind and asks, "What's your name, son?"

"Baelfire" he answers, eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of fear.

"Hi Baelfire, I'm Deputy Nolan" the man introduces. Bae glances from Nolan to the windshield, not sure where he should look. There's so much to take in and they're moving faster than Bae has ever moved before. "Where are you from?"

"Somewhere far away" Bae replies, not sure what to tell this man. The truth may sound crazy, indeed.

"Are you from a land with magic?" Nolan asks carefully.

Bae turns his shocked gaze towards him. "You know of the land with magic?"

"Yes. I'm from a land with magic, but it's been a very long time since I was there. I was brought to this world without a choice."

Bae feels even more confused by Nolan's answer. He wasn't the only one? Maybe there's hope that he will find his Papa! He takes the chance to ask, "Do you know Rumpelstiltskin?"

Nolan snaps a sharp glance his way, and Bae shrinks slightly at the look. "I do. Why are you asking for him?"

"He's my father" Bae explains, and a renewed sense of hope and relief fills his inner being as well as his voice.

Nolan taps the wheel he uses to stir the metal wagon. "I never knew he had a son."

They park at a large building and Baelfire is brought inside, Nolan promising that his Papa will be there soon to retrieve him. He waits anxiously on the softest chair he's ever sat in. He tugs at his sleeve, feeling so very out of place in his ragged clothes compared to Nolan's clean fitting ones.

The wait is longer than he expects, but soon he hears footfalls and looks up excitedly only to see a dark-haired woman walking toward him. He frowns, gazing back at the floor, but the woman approaches him and asks to sit.

He's caught off guard when the woman, Belle she says her name is, tells him she is married to his Papa. Bae feels like everything has been turned on its head in this land without magic, but Belle explains to him what has happened. He doesn't quite understand and hopes Papa can help him fill in the blanks.

Belle is his step-mother. He's never had a mother. His own died before he could remember her. He's never felt the touch of a mother's soothing hand, but Belle is smoothing his disheveled hair and he imagines this is how a mother's touch would feel.

Bae isn't sure why, but he feels an instant trust with Belle. She's so happy to see him. Tears are forming in her eyes for him. Bae is caught in a surprise embrace. He goes rigid in her arms at the sudden contact, but Belle is stroking his back and her warm tears are dropping on his neck. Bae embraces her in return, and knows that this is the touch of a true mother.


	4. Part 4: Rum's Reaction

**Part 4: Rum's Reaction**

Belle's urgent tone worries him when he answers his cell. He can hardly make out what she's saying about the sheriff's station, but when she says, "Bae is here", he understands. It's a blinding walk. He's not far away really, only a few blocks from the station, but he can't go any faster than his bad leg can carry him. Magic in this world is different and he hasn't been able to heal his knee as in the old world.

He's finally at the sheriff's station and Deputy Nolan greets him saying some pointless babble about how surprised he is that Rumpelstiltskin has a son, but Rum remotely acknowledges Nolan's presence and pushes farther into the building.

Rum stops short, feet rooted to the tile at the sight that greets him. Belle made it here before he could. Of course she did, she had the car and he had to walk using a bad leg. He can see her flushed face, tear streaked and joyful. He cannot see Bae's face, but he knows the back of that floofy head. It truly is his boy and Belle is holding him and Bae is returning the affection and Rum forgets to breathe.

Belle opens her eyes to see him standing there. She smiles brighter than the sun and pulls away from Bae, getting to her feet and bringing the boy with her. She glances at Bae and before the boy can turn, throws her arms around him again.

Rum isn't sure what to do. He knew his wife was anxious for this moment, but never had he expected her to react this way. He steps up to them, gently tugging Belle's hand that's splayed across Bae's back. She releases the boy reluctantly, meeting Rum's enamored gaze until he breaks the contact to focus on his son.

He's staring into Bae's beautiful face, recognition dawning in the boy's eyes at the sight of his father – some details changed but still the same.

"Papa!" his son exclaims, and it is the most perfect sound Rum has ever heard. Bae collides into him. Rum catches him haphazardly stumbling backwards, but quickly finding his balance with the help of his cane.

A few centuries, a 28 year curse, and several months of waiting, Rum finally has the one thing he needed most, one thing he cherished over everything – his boy safe against him. He clutches Bae's green cloak in a fist desperately as if the boy will vanish right in front of him if he lets go. He's forgotten how it feels to have his boy's arms encircling him, the embrace of innocence all about him. Guilt and regret are issues Rum has grappled with for a very long time, and it nearly feels wrong to be allowed to have Bae again.

It is Bae who pulls away first. His eyes are shining with joy, but his face is distraught. "I'm so sorry, Papa. I called you a coward for breaking our deal."

For the millionth time (because he stopped counting after a month without Bae), Rum's heart shatters into painfully jagged shards. He can barely meet Bae's eyes, and doesn't dare look over his boy's head at the tearful woman close by. "No, son, I was a coward. I chose power over being with you and realized too late the horrible price I had to pay for that decision. I've spent more years than you can imagine trying to set it right." He knows he doesn't deserve it, but he needs to ask. "Can you forgive me for not coming with you?"

Bae doesn't hesitate to answer, and it's not at all what Rum expects. "Papa, you're here and that's all that matters."

He hears Belle squeak out a strange sigh mixed with a sob. He glances at her, and is suddenly thankful that she arrived before him, if only to soften the blow for his own arrival.

Rum smooths his boy's unruly hair, trying hard to manage a smile without cracking into pieces. "Let's get you home, Bae. There's much that needs to be discussed and here is not the place."

He wraps an arm around his boy's shoulder, not wishing to ever let go. Belle falls in step beside Bae, and he spies as the two exchange happy little smiles as if they're sharing a secret. He's curious to know exactly what Belle told his boy, and takes note to ask her later when they're home and at last a family that's whole.

The grueling work and watchful wait are over. Life can finally begin again for the man named Rumpelstiltskin.


End file.
